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Church 

Historical 
Sketch  "" 
IDissions  in 
Japan 

' 

Sixth  Edition 

REVISED  BY 

REV.  G.  M.  FULTON.  D.D. 

The  Uloman’s  Toreign 
IDissionarv  Society  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church, 
lUitherspoon  Building, 
Philadelphia  : 1910 

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of  the 

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Church 

Historical 
Sketch 
missions  in 
3apan  ^ ^ 

Sixth  Edition 

REVISED  BY 

REV.  G.  M.  FULTON,  D.D. 

The  Uloman’s  Toreiyn 
FJlissionarv  Society  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church, 
Ulitherspoon  Building, 
Philadelphia  : 1910 

JAPAN 


The  islands  which  compose  the  Japanese 
THE  COUNTRY  Empire  stretch  in  a crescent  shape  along  the 
northeastern  coast  of  Asia,  from  Kamtchatka 
on  the  north  to  Korea  on  the  south,  embracing  an  area  of 
about  160,000  square  miles.  They  are  very  numerous,  per- 
haps 4,000  in  number,  but  the  four  islands  of  Yezo,  Hondo, 
Shikoku  and  Kiushiu,  together  with  Formosa,  form  the  great 
portion  of  the  empire.  The  climate,  except  in  the  very  north- 
ern islands,  is  mild  and  healthful.  The  heats  of  summer  are 
tempered  by  the  surrounding  ocean,  and  the  Kuro-Shio  or 
Gulf  Stream  of  the  Pacific,  which  washes  the  eastern  shores  of 
these  islands,  mitigates  the  severity  of  the  winter.  In  location 
and  climate  there  is  a striking  similarity  between  these  islands 
and  those  of  the  British  Empire,  so  that  Japan  may  be  called 
the  Great  Britain  of  the  East.  The  great  mountain  chain 
which  forms  the  backbone  of  the  islands  is  broken  by  frequent 
valleys,  exceedingly  fertile,  and  opening  out  to  the  sea  in  small 
but  fruitful  plains.  The  skies  are  clear  and  beautiful,  and 
nature  clothes  itself  in  its  brightest  robes  of  green.  It  is  a 
land  of  fruits  and  flowers,  and  its  hills  are  stored  with  the 
choicest  minerals.  At  the  census  of  1908,  the  population  of 
the  empire  was  49,319,166. 

A fertile  soil,  healthful  air,  temperate  climate,  abundant 
food,  and  comparative  isolation  from  other  nations,  with  that 
subtle,  ever-present  sense  of  uncertainty  which  clings  to  all 
volcanic  regions,  have  shaped,  to  a large  extent,  the  character 
and  history  of  the  people. 

The  Japanese  are  a kindly  people,  industrious 
THE  PEOPLE  and  patient,  quick  to  observe  and  imitate,  and 
ready  to  adopt  whatever  may  seem  to  pro- 
mote their  present  good  or  advance  their  nation  in  the  eyes 
of  the  world.  The  long  and  bloody  strifes  which  marked  so 
much  of  their  past  history  not  only  left  their  impress  in  a 


4 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF 


strong  martial  spirit,  but  divided  the  people  into  two  great 
classes,  the  “Samurai”  or  military,  who  were  at  the  same  time 
the  literati;  and  the  “Hrimin”  or  agriculturalists,  merchants 
and  artisans.  Formerly  the  distinction  between  these  classes 
was  very  great,  not  only  in  their  social,  but  also  in  their  intel- 
lectual and  moral  character;  but  with  the  advance  of  the 
national  education  and  under  the  changed  conditions  of  new 
Japan,  the  difYerence  is  rapidly  disappearing.  At  the  present 
day,  the  average  Japanese  is  intelligent,  with  a real  love  for 
knowledge,  respectful  to  elders,  gentle,  courteous  and  intensely 
loyal;  he  maintains  a buoyant  and  happy  spirit  even  in  the 
midst  of  much  that  is  discouraging;  while  in  a way  he  seems 
to  take  life  easy,  still  there  is  a patient  perseverance  about  him 
which  surmounts  obstacles  and  wins  success. 

In  moral  character  he  is  as  yet  lacking  in  many  of  the 
highest  virtues;  love  of  truth  for  its  own  sake,  chastity,  tem- 
perance, straightforwardness,  honesty,  are  not  characteristic 
qualities,  though  noticeable  improvement  along  all  these  lines 
has  taken  place  in  recent  years. 

Because  of  their  eager  desire  for  all  that  will  prove  bene- 
ficial to  them  and  their  acceptance  of  much  that  is  new  and 
strange  from  the  West,  the  Japanese  are  regarded  by  many 
as  changeable,  superficial  and  unreliable,  but  this  impression 
is  gradually  being  removed  as  the  people  become  settled  in 
their  new  conditions  and  accustomed  to  the  new  life  which 
they  have  adopted. 

The  history  of  Japan  falls  into  three  great 
THE  HISTORY  periods.  The  lines  of  division  are  so  well 

marked  that  all  writers  recognize  them.  The 
first  stretches  into  the  remote  past,  and  comes  down  to  about 
the  middle  of  the  twelfth  century.  Here,  as  elsewhere,  the 
aborigines  have  gradually  retired  before  a stronger  foreign 
power,  until  partly  by  destruction  and  partly  by  amalgama- 
tion with  their  conquerors,  they  have  well-nigh  disappeared. 
The  pure  Ainus,  the  original  inhabitants,  are  now  found 
only  in  the  northern  portion  of  the  islands.  The  Japanese 
are  evidently  a mixed  race;  but  the  early  immigrants,  judging 
from  the  language,  had  no  affinity  with  the  Chinese,  but 
were  Tartars  or  Mongolians  from  central  Asia,  who  came  to 


THE  MISSIONS  IN  JAPAN. 


5 


Japan  by  way  of  Korea,  while  another  element  of  the  popu- 
lation is  supposed  to  be  of  Malay  origin.  The  present 
Mikado  or  Emperor  of  Japan  traces  his  line  back  in  unbroken 
succession  to  about  660  B.  C.,  when,  according  to  their  tradi- 
tion, Jimmu  Tenno.  the  first  Mikado,  sprung  from  the  sun- 
goddess,  landed  upon  the  island  with  a few  retainers,  and, 
after  a severe  and  protracted  struggle  with  the  natives, 
established  the  empire.  The  dynasty  thus  founded  has  never 
lost  its  hold  upon  the  people,  who  regard  the  Emperor  as 
divine,  and  whose  loyalty  has  its  support  and  strength  in 
their  religion.  Its  actual  power,  however,  has  been  liable 
to  great  fluctuations.  The  ruling  prince  found  it  difficult  at 
times  to  restrain  the  power  and  pride  of  his  nobles,  or  daimios. 
They  were  restless,  ambitious,  wielding  absolute  power  in 
their  own  demain,  and  chafing  under  restraints — rendering 
oftentimes  a formal  rather  than  a real  allegiance  to  the 
supreme  ruler.  It  was  not  an  unnatural  step,  therefore,  when 
Yoritomo,  one  of  these  powerful  nobles,  employed  by  the 
Emperor  to  subdue  his  rebellious  subjects,  usurped  the  entire 
executive  authority,  and  thus  closed  the  first  period  of  the 
history. 

The  second  period  reaches  from  the  origin  of  this  dual 
power  in  the  State — 1143  A.  D. — until  the  restoration  of  the 
imperial  authority  in  1868.  Yoritomo  never  claimed  the  posi- 
tion or  honor  of  Emperor.  He  was  not  a rival  to  the  Mikado. 
He  recognized  the  source  of  authority  in  the  divine  line,  but 
under  the  title  of  “Shogun”  or  general,  exercised  regal  power, 
and  transmitted  his  office  in  his  own  line,  or  in  rival  families. 
The  edicts  of  the  ruling  Shogun  were  in  the  name  of  the 
Emperor.  It  was  his  policy  to  assume  only  to  be  the  first  of 
the  princes  under  the  divine  head.  The  title  of  tycoon  (taikim, 
great  lord),  attributed  to  him  by  foreign  powers,  was  never 
claimed  by  him  until  the  treaty  with  Commodore  Perry  in 
1853.  It  was  the  assumption  of  this  title  which  prepared  the 
way  for  his  downfall  and  the  overthrow  of  the  whole  system 
connected  with  him — a system  which,  like  the  feudal  system 
of  the  Middle  Ages,  having  served  its  purpose,  now  stood  as 
a bar  to  the  nation’s  progress,  and  must  therefore  perish. 

It  was  during  this  period  that  the  Roman  Catholic  mis- 


6 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF 


sionaries  under  Francis  Xavier  reached  Japan  in  1549.  Al- 
though meeting  with  serious  difficulties  in  his  ignorance  of  the 
language  and  the  opposition  made  by  the  followers  of  the 
existing  religions,  Xavier  was  well  received  and  had  great 
success.  Converts  were  rapidly  multiplied,  so  that  in  about 
thirty  years  there  were  250,000  native  Christians.  His  success 
was  due  partly  to  the  doctrines  he  preached — in  contrast  with 
Buddhism  full  of  hope  and  promise — but  mainly  to  the  fact 
that  he  made  the  transition  from  heathenism  to  Christianity 
very  easy.  It  was  largely  the  substitution  of  one  form  of 
idolatry  for  another.  The  political  plans  and  intrigues  of  the 
Jesuits  soon  awakened  the  opposition  of  the  rulers.  The 
flames  of  civil  war  were  kindled  and  the  Christians  were  ex- 
terminated, with  the  decree  over  their  graves:  “So  long  as 
the  sun  shall  warm  the  earth,  let  no  Christian  be  so  bold  as 
to  come  to  Japan.”  The  edict  forbidding  Christianity  was 
followed  by  one  rigidly  excluding  all  foreigners  from  Japan, 
with  the  exception  of  a few  Dutch  traders,  who,  under  the 
most  humiliating  conditions,  were  allowed  a residence  in 
Deshima,  a little  island  in  the  port  of  Nagasaki.  The  Japanese 
were  forbidden  to  leave  their  country,  and  those  even  who 
were  driven  from  their  land  by  storms,  or  carried  by  the 
currents  of  the  sea  to  other  shores,  if  they  returned  were  to  be 
put  to  death. 

The  policy  of  entire  seclusion,  so  inaugurated,  was  main- 
tained until  the  treaty  with  Commodore  Perry  in  1854,  which 
introduces  the  third  period  in  the  history  of  Japan.  It  would 
be  a mistake,  however  (as  Griffis — “The  Mikado’s  Empire,” 
chap,  xxviii — has  clearly  shown),  to  attribute  the  great  revolu- 
tion which  then  began,  and  was  completed  in  the  restoration 
of  the  Mikado  to  his  rightful  throne  in  1868,  solely  to  such 
an  event  as  this,  or  to  the  subsequent  treaties  with  other 
Western  powers.  No  mere  external  event  like  this  could 
have  fired  the  popular  heart  unless  it  had  been  prepared  for  it. 
Mighty  forces  were  at  work  among  the  people  tending  to  this 
result.  They  were  growing  restless  under  the  usurpation  of 
the  Shogun.  Rival  families,  who  had  been  subjected,  were 
plotting  his  destruction.  The  more  cultivated  of  the  people 
were  growing  acquainted  with  the  facts  and  principles  of  their 


THE  MISSIONS  IN  JAPAN. 


7 


earlier  history.  Men  of  culture  and  influence — scholars, 
soldiers,  statesmen — were  laboring  to  bring  back  the  old 
regime.  The  introduction  of  the  foreigner,  even  in  the 
restricted  degree  in  which  it  was  first  permitted,  only  served 
to  hasten  what  was  already  sure  to  come.  It  was  the  spark 
which  kindled  the  elements  into  a flame.  But  whatever  the 
cause,  a mighty  revolution  swept  over  the  land.  The  Mikado 
resumed  his  power.  The  Shogun  was  compelled  to  resign  his 
position,  the  more  powerful  daimios  were  removed  from  their 
fiefs,  the  whole  feudal  system  fell  as  at  a single  blow,  and  a 
government  administered  like  the  modern  governments  of 
Europe  was  established.  The  Mikado,  without  formally 
renouncing  his  claim  upon  the  loyalty  and  homage  of  his 
people  on  the  ground  of  his  divine  descent,  has  come  out  from 
his  seclusion,  has  changed  his  capital  to  the  great  city  of 
Tokyo,  moves  among  his  people  like  other  princes,  earnestly 
seeks  their  interests,  and  has  secured  for  Japan  a recognized 
place  among  the  enlightened  nations  of  the  world.  It  was 
this  treaty  and  the  revolution  which  followed  it  which  opened 
the  way  for  Christian  work  in  Japan. 

An  event  which  moved  the  entire  nation  to  rejoicing, 
and  stirred  the  hearts  of  all  Japan’s  well-wishers  with  thanks- 
giving, was  the  promulgation  of  the  National  Constitution, 
in  February,  1889.  This  pledge  of  the  nation’s  new  existence 
as  a Constitutional  Monarchy  went  into  effect  February  nth, 
1890,  and  the  Diet  provided  for,  comprising  a House  of  Peers 
and  a House  of  Representatives,  met  for  the  first  time  Novem- 
ber 29th,  1890.  Freedom  of  conscience  and  liberty  of  worship 
are  guaranteed  to  all. 

In  1894,  the  effort  to  gain  commercial  supremacy  in 
Korea  brought  on  a war  with  China,  in  which  the  Japanese 
army  and  navy  were  overwhelmingly  victorious.  By  the 
treaty  of  peace  signed  in  1895,  the  Island  of  Formosa  was 
ceded  to  Japan,  as  well  as  a district  on  the  mainland,  which 
was  later  given  up  for  an  equivalent  in  money.  The  brilliant 
success  of  the  war  greatly  intensified  national  feeling,  and 
raised  Japan  to  a commanding  position  among  the  eastern 
nations.  This  enabled  her  to  obtain  from  the  European 
powers  the  long-desired  revision  of  the  existing  treaties.  By 


8 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF 


this  revision  the  foreign  governments  surrendered  all  rights 
of  extra-territoriality  in  Japan,  and  foreigners  come  under 
the  jurisdiction  of  Japanese  courts  and  laws.  In  return, 
foreigners  are  allowed  to  trade  and  reside  without  restriction 
anywhere  in  the  country,  instead  of  only  in  the  treaty  ports. 
The  treaty  went  into  effect  July,  1899. 

In  the  expedition  for  the  rescue  of  the  Legations  at 
Pekin,  during  the  Chinese  outbreak  of  1900,  the  Japanese 
contingent  rendered  great  service  and  held  a high  place  in 
comparison  with  the  European  troops  engaged. 

In  1904-1905,  Japan  was  engaged  in  the  great  struggle 
with  Russia,  into  which  she  was  drawn  for  the  sake  of  her 
Korean  neighbor,  and  to  preserve  her  own  national  integrity. 
After  much  hardship  and  many  hard-fought  battles,  costing 
great  loss  of  life  on  both  sides,  Japan  was  the  victor  both  on 
land  and  on  sea,  and  the  Russian  forces  were  driven  com- 
pletely out  of  southern  Manchuria.  By  the  treaty  of  Ports- 
mouth, signed  in  the  autumn  of  1905,  Japan  succeeded  to 
Russia’s  lease  on  the  Idaotung  Peninsula  and  the  ownership 
of  the  Manchurian  Railway.  Also  the  southern  half  of  the 
island  of  Saghalin  was  ceded  to  Japan  and  various  other  con- 
cessions granted.  But  perhaps  the  greatest  fruit  of  the  victory 
was  the  new  consciousness  of  strength  which  dawned  upon 
the  Japanese  people  and  the  prestige  which  accrued  to  the 
nation  as  the  result  of  their  remarkable  achievement,  as  well 
as  of  the  spirit  and  character  displayed  throughout  the  war. 
There  was  henceforth  no  hesitation  anywhere  in  recognizing 
Japan  as  one  of  tffe  great  world  powers. 

The  early  faith  of  the  Japanese  (Shintoism)  seems 
RELIGION  to  have  been  little  more  than  a deification  and 
worship  of  Nature,  and  a supreme  reverence  for 
their  ancestors  and  rulers,  who  were  not  the  representatives 
of  God,  but  the  divinities  themselves.  Its  central  principle 
is  the  divinity  of  the  Mikado,  and  the  duty  of  all  Japanese 
to  obey  him  implicitly.  Its  principles  are  expressed  thus: 
“Thou  shalt  honor  the  gods,  and  love  thy  country.  Tliou 
shalt  clearly  understand  the  principles  of  heaven  and  the  duty 
of  man.  Thou  shalt  revere  the  Mikado  as  thy  sovereign  and 
obey  the  will  of  his  court.” 


THE  MISSIONS  IN  JAPAN. 


9 


The  chief  feature  of  popular  Shintoism  is  the  worship 
of  ancestors  and  the  deification  of  emperors,  heroes  and 
scholars.  No  idols  or  images  are  employed  in  its  worship. 
Its  symbols  are  the  mirror  and  the  “gohei,”  strips  of  notched 
white  paper  hanging  from  a wooden  wand.  It  has  no  written 
code,  and  no  defined  system  of  ethics  or  belief.  Indeed,  within 
a few  years  it  has  been  officially  proclaimed  as  no  longer  to 
be  regarded  as  a religion,  but  merely  as  a patriotic  cult. 

About  550  A.  D.,  the  Buddhists  carried  their  faith  from 
Korea  to  Japan.  Buddhism,  originating  in  India,  but  sub- 
sequently expelled  from  its  native  soil,  swept  through  Bur- 
mah,  Siam,  China,  northeastern  Asia  and  Japan,  and  now 
holds  nearly  one-third  of  the  human  race  among  its  adherents. 
Theoretically,  it  is  a system  of  godless  philosophy,  connected 
with  a relatively  pure  and  elevated  morality. 

But  this  is  not  Buddhism  as  it  came  to  Japan.  In  the 
twelve  hundred  years  of  its  existence,  it  had  grown  from  a 
philosophical  system  into  a vast  ecclesiastical  and  sacerdotal 
system,  with  its  idols,  its  altars,  its  priests  and  ritual,  its  monks 
and  nuns — indeed,  a Roman  Catholicism  without  Christ.  It 
found  a congenial  and  unoccupied  soil  in  the  Japanese  mind, 
and,  although  meeting  with  opposition,  spread  rapidly,  until 
it  ultimately  embraced  the  great  mass  of  the  people.  It 
reached  its  golden  age  in  Japan  about  the  thirteenth  and  four- 
teenth centuries,  A.  D.,  when  the  land  was  filled  with  its  tem- 
ples, priests  and  worshippers.*  Buddhism  in  Japan  has  its 
different  sects  or  denominations,  bearing  the  names  of  its 
great  teachers  and  apostles,  varying  almost  as  widely  in  doc- 
trines and  customs  as  Protestants  vary  from  Romanists,  but 
still  all  united  in  opposition  to  the  Christian  faith.  While  it 
has  lost  something  of  its  power  and  glory  and  deteriorated  in 
its  moral  teachings,  it  is  still  the  religion  of  the  people,  and 
presents  the  great  religious  obstacle  to  the  introduction  and 
spread  of  the  Gospel. 

Confucius  also  has  his  followers  in  Japan;  but  as  that 

* The  most  famous  statues  of  Buddha  are  the  Dai-Butsu  (Great  Buddha),  at 
Kamakura  and  Nara.  That  at  Kamakura  is  a mass  of  copper  about  fifty  feet  high. 
The  Nara  image  is  larger,  although  not  so  perfect  as  a work  of  art.  It  is  fifty-three 
and  a half  feet  high;  its  face  is  sixteen  feet  long  and  nine  feet  wide.  It  is  a bronze 
composed  of  gold,  tin,  mercury  and  copper. 


lO 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF 


great  philosopher  never  claimed  to  be  a religious  teacher, 
never  discussed  or  answered  the  momentous  questions  as  to 
man’s  religious  nature,  his  origin  or  his  destiny,  and  regarded 
man  solely  in  his  political,  social  and  moral  relations  in  this 
life,  Confucianism  can  hardly  be  regarded  as  a religion.  It 
is  not  a very  serious  hindrance  to  the  progress  of  Christian 
missions  in  Japan.  Shintoism,  as  the  embodiment  of  national 
and  ancestral  traditions,  allying  itself  with  modern  secularism 
and  atheism,  and  Buddhism,  the  religion  of  the  masses,  are 
the  Japanese  rationalism  and  superstition  which  the  Gospel 
must  meet  and  overcome. 

For  this  work  the  way  had  been  wonder- 
PREPARATION  fully  prepared.  The  providence  of  God 
FOR  THE  GOSPEL  was  clearly  leading  the  Church  to  this  field. 

American  enterprise  had  reached  the  Pacific 
Slope,  and  was  pushing  its  commerce  to  the  eastern  continent, 
which  now  lay  at  its  doors.  The  scanty  information  which  the 
civilized  worldhad  obtained  through  the  Dutch  traders,  fed  the 
desire  to  know  more.  The  necessities  of  commerce  seemed  to 
demand  that  the  long  seclusion  should  cease.  On  the  other 
hand  there  had  been,  as  we  have  seen,  a great  awakening 
among  the  Japanese  themselves.  The  spirit  of  inquiry  which 
led  their  scholars  back  into  their  earliest  records,  turned  their 
thoughts  also  to  the  outlying  world.  Eager  and  searching 
questions  were  put  to  the  Dutch  traders.  A dim  conception 
of  the  superior  power  and  civilization  of  the  Western  world 
began  to  dawn  upon  their  minds.  The  more  thoughtful  were 
longing  for  a clearer  knowledge  of  the  outside  world,  and 
desired  to  break  through  the  barriers  which  had  so  long  shut 
them  in. 

At  this  juncture,  in  1853,  a small  American  squadron 
under  Commodore  Perry,  sent  in  no  spirit  of  conquest,  but 
in  the  interest  of  humanity,  to  secure  better  treatment  for  our 
shipwrecked  sailors  and  provisions  for  our  whaling  ships, 
appeared  in  Japanese  waters,  and  succeeded  in  opening  the 
long-sealed  gates. 

Perry  negotiated  a treaty  of  friendship,  which  permitted 
American  consuls  to  reside  at  Shimoda  and  Hakodate.  Mr. 
Townsend  Harris  was  appointed  to  .Shimoda,  and  succeeded 


THE  MISSIONS  IN  JAPAN. 


II 


in  making  a treaty  of  commerce,  to  take  effect  July  4th,  1859, 
opening  the  ports  of  Yokohama  and  Nagasaki  to  foreign  resi- 
dents. There  was  no  mention  made  of  Christianity  in  this 
treaty.  Treaties  with  other  powers  soon  followed,  granting 
larger  privileges.  The  custom  of  trampling  on  the  cross  was 
soon  after  discontinued,  at  the  request  of  the  foreign  minis- 
ters, but  the  edicts  against  Christianity  continued  in  force 
until  1873. 

MISSION  WORK  IN  JAPAN. 

The  Christian  Church  was  watching  with  intense  interest 
the  steps  by  which  Japan  was  opened  to  the  civilized  world. 
As  early  as  1855,  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Foreign  Missions 
requested  D.  B.  McCartee,  M.  D.,  one  of  its  missionaries  in 
China,  to  visit  Japan  and  make  inquiries  preparatory  to 
sending  forth  a laborer  to  this  long  inaccessible  field.  Dr. 
McCartee  went  at  once  to  Shanghai,  but  was  unable  to  obtain 
a passage  thence  in  any  vessel  to  the  Japanese  ports,  and  after 
some  delay  returned  to.  his  work  at  Ningpo.  It  was  thought 
to  be  impracticable  then  to  establish  the  mission  contemplated, 
and  the  Board  waited,  watching  for  the  first  favorable  indica- 
tion. After  three  years  of  waiting,  the  favorable  indication 
was  seen;  the  Executive  Committee  reported  that,  in  their 
judgment,  the  way  was  open,  and  that  it  was  the  duty  of  our 
Church  now  to  take  part  in  this  great  work.  Dr.  James  C. 
Hepburn  and  his  wife,  formerly  missionaries  in  China,  but 
then  residing  in  New  York,  where  Dr.  Hepburn  had  secured 
a remunerative  practice,  were  appointed  by  the  Board,  and 
sailed  for  Shanghai,  on  their  way  to  Japan,  April  24th,  1859. 
Rev.  J.  L.  Nevius  and  his  wife,  on  account  of  the  failure  of 
Mrs.  Nevius’s  health  in  Ningpo,  were  appointed  by  the  Board 
to  be  associated  with  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Hepburn  in  the  new  mis- 
sion. Thus  our  Church  was  among  the  first  to  enter  the  open 
field.  Two  clergymen  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in 
the  United  States  reached  Japan  in  June,  1859.  Dr.  Hepburn 
arrived  in  Japan  early  in  October,  1859,  settled  at  Kana- 
gawa,  a few  miles  from  Yedo  (now  Tokyo).  Here  a Buddhist 
temple  was  soon  obtained  as  a residence;  the  idols  were 


12 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF 


removed,  and  the  heathen  temple  was  converted  into  a Chris- 
tian home  and  church.  The  missionaries  found  the  people 
civil  and  friendly,  inquisitive,  bright,  eager  to  learn,  apt  in 
making  anything  needed  if  a model  were  given  them.  There 
was  no  decided  opposition  from  the  government,  although  it 
evidently  knew  who  the  m.issionaries  were  and  what  was  the 
object  of  their  coming.  They  were  kept  under  constant  sur- 
veillance, and  all  their  movements  were  reported  to  the  rulers. 
The  circumstances  in  which  they  were  placed  greatly  facili- 
tated their  progress  in  the  study  of  the  language.  Going 
without  servants,  and  relying  entirely  upon  Japanese  work- 
men, carpenters,  servants,  etc.,  they  were  compelled  to  use 
the  language,  and  made  rapid  progress.  Dr.  Hepburn  says; 
“The  written  language  is  no  doubt  more  difficult  than  the 
Chinese,  and  the  spoken  is  nearly  as  difficult,  though  quite 
different  in  structure.”  Public  service,  to  which  foreigners 
were  invited,  was  established  in  their  home,  and  the  mission 
work  began — Dr.  Hepburn  using  his  medical  skill  and  prac- 
tice as  furnishing  an  opportunity  to  speak  to  the  sick  and 
suffering  of  Chri.st,  whose  Gospel  he  was  not  permitted  to 
teach. 

In  November,  1859,  Rev.  S.  R.  Brown,  D.  B.  Simmons, 
M.  D.,  and  the  Rev.  G.  F.  Verbeck,  sent  by  the  Reformed 
(Dutch)  Church  of  America,  settled  at  Kanagawa  and 
Nagasaki. 

Mr.  and  Mrs,  Nevius  remained  in  Japan  nine  months 
studying  the  language.  Finding  that  direct  missionary  work 
there  was  then  impracticable  and  there  being  no  indication 
of  favorable  changes  for  the  future,  while  in  North  China, 
just  opened  under  the  recent  treaty,  there  was  an  urgent  call 
for  laborers,  they  obtained  permission  to  return  to  China. 
For  a time  there  was  some  solicitude  for  the  personal  safety 
of  the  missionaries  in  Japan,  owing  to  a reactionary  move- 
ment among  the  ruling  classes.  They  were  jealous  of  their 
prerogatives,  and  in  many  cases  eager  for  a return  to  the  old 
exclusive  policy  of  the  government.  But  the  danger  soon 
passed  away.  While  the  missionaries  were  watched  with  the 
utmost  vigilance,  they  were  not  interfered  with,  or  subjected 
to  any  restrictions  which  were  not  imposed  upon  other 


THE  MISSIONS  IN  JAPAN. 


13 


foreigners  residing  within  the  empire.  They  could  not  yet 
engage  in  direct  missionary  work,  but  were  forced  to  content 
themselves  with  acquiring  the  langnage,  and  distributing  a 
few  copies  of  the  New  Testament  in  Chinese,  which  some  of 
the  people  could  read.  Meanwhile  they  were  waiting  in  faith, 
exploring  the  field,  watching  for  opportunities  which  might 
present  themselves,  and  acquiring  the  facilities  for  efficient 
work  when  the  time  should  come.  They  found  the  people 
eager  for  knowledge,  fond  of  reading,  and  open  to  Christian 
instruction.  There  was  a great  work,  therefore,  in  the  trans- 
lation of  the  Scriptures  and  the  preparation  of  religious  tracts 
pressing  upon  them. 

It  was  found  unadvisable  to  remain  at  Kanagawa,  on 
account  of  the  opposition  of  the  Japanese  authorities  to  the 
residence  of  foreigners  there.  Toward  the  close  of  the  year 
1862,  Dr.  Hepburn  purchased  a property  for  the  mission  in 
Yokohama,  and  removed  to  that  place.  It  lay  just  across  the 
bay  from  Kanagawa,  but  was  more  acceptable  to  the  authori- 
ties becuse  it  was  the  place  where  other  foreigners  mostly 
resided.  Here  he  opened  a dispensary  and  hospital,  which  he 
was  not  allowed  to  do  at  Kanagawa.  The  work  in  the  study 
of  the  language  and  the  rough  preliminary  translation  of  the 
Scriptures  was  pushed  forward  with  greater  energy  and 
success.  Doors  were  partly  opened  to  other  work.  Appli- 
cation was  made  by  the  Japanese  Government  to  Dr.  Hepburn 
to  instruct  a company  of  Japanese  youth  in  geometry  and 
chemistry.  To  his  surprise,  he  found  these  young  men  far 
advanced  in  mathematical  studies.  With  this  instruction  in 
English,  he  was  able  to  connect  lessons  in  Christian  doctrines 
and  duties;  and  thus,  though  informally,  he  really  began  to 
preach  the  Gospel. 

This  school,  which  was  so  full  of  promise,  was  soon 
broken  up.  The  country  was  in  a disturbed  state;  society 
was  rent  into  parties,  which  were  bitterly  hostile  to  each  other, 
but  all  more  or  less  jealous  of  any  foreign  influence.  The 
young  men  were  called  away  to  fill  posts  in  the  army,  but 
most  of  them  took  copies  of  the  Bible  in  English  and  Chinese. 
In  May,  1863,  the  Rev.  David  Thompson  arrived  and  began 
the  study  of  the  language.  The  missionaries  could  not  yet 


14 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF 


preach  the  Gospel  in  the  native  tongue,  but  to  meet  the  great 
desire  of  the  Japanese  to  learn  the  English  language  and  to 
be  instructed  in  Western  knowledge,  they  engaged  in  teach- 
ing. They  found  some  opportunities  in  connection  with  the 
government  schools,  in  which  they  had  been  invited  to  take 
part;  and  Dr.  Hepburn  was  already  engaged  in  his  great  work 
of  preparing  a Japanese  and  English  dictionary.  The  first 
edition  of  the  dictionary  was  published  in  1867,  and  it  has 
proved  of  the  greatest  service  to  all  English-speaking  mis- 
sionaries in  that  land.  This  finished.  Dr.  Hepburn  wrote 
stating  his  strong  conviction  that  the  time  for  more  direct 
work  had  come,  and  urged  the  Church  to  increase  her  force, 
so  that  she  might  be  able  to  take  her  place  in  that  work.  Dur- 
ing the  year  1868,  the  mission  was  strengthened  by  the  arrival 
of  Rev.  Edward  Comes  and  his  wife.  In  Eebruary,  1869,  Mr. 
Thompson  was  permitted  to  baptize  three  converts,  two  men 
of  good  education  and  talent,  and  an  aged  woman.  Although 
the  government  had  not  repealed  the  edicts  against  Christian- 
ity— indeed,  had  republished  them  as  soon  as  the  Mikado 
ascended  his  throne — these  converts  were  not  molested. 

Rev.  C.  Carrothers  and  his  wife  arrived  in  Japan  in  1869, 
and  in  connection  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Comes  and  Mr. 
Thompson,  established  a new  station  at  Yedo  (now  Tokyo), 
which,  as  the  capital  of  the  country,  and  the  residence  of  the 
Emperor  and  his  court,  afforded  a wide  field  of  influence  and 
usefulness.  A special  feature  of  the  work,  growing  in  promi- 
nence and  interest,  was  the  number  of  young  men  who  sought 
the  acquaintance  and  instruction  of  the  missionaries,  and  who 
were  destined  to  fill  positions  of  influence  among  their  country- 
men. Some  of  these  became  thoughtful  and  interested  stu- 
dents of  the  Scriptures. 

The  mission  was  greatly  tried  by  the  sudden  death  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Comes  and  one  of  their  children,  in  August,  1870. 
They  had  just  embarked  on  board  a steamer  leaving  Yedo 
for  Yokohama,  when  the  boiler  exploded,  and  all  the  family 
but  the  little  babe  were  lost.  The  Rev.  Henry  Loomis  and  his 
wife  and  the  Rev.  E.  Rothesay  Miller  joined  the  mission  in 
1872. 

Erom  1859  to  1872,  our  missionaries,  with  those  from 


THE  MISSIONS  IN  JAPAN. 


15 


Other  churches,  had  been  engaged,  as  we  have  seen,  in  pre- 
paratory work — studying  the  language,  managing  the  dispen- 
saries, translating  the  Scriptures,  teaching  in  private  classes 
and  in  the  government  schools.  During  all  this  period  there 
was  no  regular  stated  preaching  of  the  Gospel  to  a native 
audience.  The  edicts  declaring  that  every  one  accepting  the 
“vile  Jesus  doctrine”  would  be  put  to  death,  were  published 
all  over  the  land.  There  was  no  actual  persecution;  there 
was,  on  the  contrary,  a general  belief  that  religious  toleration 
would  be  granted.  The  period  was  one  of  waiting  and  expec- 
tation; and  although  it  was  true  that  “God  led  our  mission- 
aries into  the  schools,  and  the  kingdom  of  Ghrist  entered 
Japan  through  the  schools,”  yet  it  was  felt  by  all  that  this  state 
of  things  could  not  and  ought  not  to  continue.  It  w'as  time 
to  try,  at  least,  the  public  preaching  of  the  Gospel  and  the 
regular  methods  of  church  work. 

But  during  these  years  of  waiting  the  missionaries  had 
witnessed  great  events,  and  events  which  were  full  of  hope. 
The  great  political  revolution  had  been  completed;  the  Mikado 
was  seated  on  his  throne;  a new  policy  was  inaugurated;  wiser 
hands  were  holding  the  helm  of  State;  more  liberal  measures 
were  adopted,  and  the  government,  once  repelling  foreign 
intercourse,  now  sought  eagerly  the  advantages  of  Western 
commerce  and  civilization.  They  had  seen  the  departure  and 
return  of  that  memorable  Japanese  embassy  to  the  United 
States  and  the  nations  of  Western  Europe.  They  had  seen 
that  wonderful  movement  of  students  from  Japan  to  Europe 
and  America,  and  were  feeling  its  results  in  the  new  life  all 
around  them.  Dr.  Eerris,  in  his  paper  at  the  Mildmay  Con- 
ference, says: 

“Returning  to  my  office  in  New  York  City  on  a chilly,  rainy 
afternoon  in  the  fall  of  1869,  I found  awaiting  me  a plain  man  and,  as 
I supposed,  two  young  Chinamen.  It  proved  to  be  the  captain  of  a 
sailing  vessel  and  two  Japanese  young  men,  eighteen  and  twenty  years 
old.  They  presented  a letter  of  introduction  from  Mr.  Verbeck  (a 
missionary  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  Japan),  stating  that  they  were 
of  good  family  and  worthy  of  attention.  They  said  that  they  had 
come  to  learn  navigation  and  how  to  make  ‘big  ships  and  big  guns.’ 
They  had  left  Japan  without  the  consent  of  the  government,  and  their 
lives  were  forfeited.  The  young  men  were  well  connected,  and  through 
the  influence  of  their  family  and  the  missionaries,  they  obtained  per- 


i6 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF 


mission  to  remain  in  the  United  States.  This  was  the  beginning  of 
the  movement  which  has  brought  some  five  hundred  Japanese  youth  to 
the  schools  of  this  country,  and  as  many  more  to  the  schools  of  Europe.” 

Every  one  can  understand  how  much  this  has  had  to  do 
with  the  marvellous  progress  of  Japan.  It  was  influential  in 
originating  and  maintaining  a system  of  common  schools 
similar  to  that  of  the  United  States,  now  embracing  nearly 
thirty  thousand  schools,  with  over  four  million  children 
under  instruction. 

But  now  the  “set  time  to  favor”  Japan  had  fully  come. 
The  new  order  of  things  was  established.  Some  of  the 
statesmen  connected  with  the  government  had  been  pupils  of 
the  missionaries.  Others  had  been  educated  in  this  country. 
A liberal  policy  was  inaugurated;  all  connection  of  the  State 
with  any  form  of  religion  ceased;  the  signboards  denouncing 
Christianity  were  removed,  and  toleration  for  all  forms  of 
religion  became  practically,  though  not  formally,  the  law  of 
the  land.  The  calendar  was  changed  to  conform  with  that  in 
use  among  Western  nations,  including  the  weekdy  day  of  rest. 

The  Japanese  Church  was  born  in  prayer.  In  January, 
1872,  the  missionaries  at  Yokohama,  and  English-speaking 
residents  of  all  denominations,  united  in  the  observance  of 
the  Week  of  Prayer.  Som.e  Japanese  students  connected 
with  the  private  classes  taught  by  the  missionaries  were  present 
through  curiosity  or  through  a desire  to  please  their  teachers, 
and  some,  perhaps,  from  a true  interest  in  Christianity.  It 
was  concluded  to  read  the  Book  of  Acts  in  course  day  by  day, 
and,  that  the  Japanese  present  might  take  part  intelligently  in 
the  service,  the  Scripture  of  the  day  was  translated  extempo- 
raneously into  their  language.  The  meetings  grew  in  interest, 
and  were  continued  from  week  to  week  until  the  end  of  Eebru- 
ary.  After  a week  or  two,  the  Japanese,  for  the  first  time 
in  the  history  of  the  nation,  were  on  their  knees  in  a Christian 
prayer  meeting,  entreating  God  with  great  emotion,  and  tears 
streaming  down  their  faces,  that  He  would  give  His  Spirit  to 
Japan,  as  to  the  early  Church  and  to  the  hearers  of  the  apos- 
tles. These  prayers  were  characterized  by  intense  earnestness. 
Captains  of  men-of-war,  English  and  American,  who  witnessed 
the  scene,  said,  “The  prayers  of  these  Japanese  take  the  heart 


THE  MISSIONS  IN  JAPAN. 


17 


out  of  US.”  The  missionary  in  charge  was  almost  overcome, 
so  intense  was  the  feeling.  Such  was  the  first  Japanese  prayer 
meeting.  A church  of  eleven  members  was  organized  in  Dr. 
Hepburn’s  dispensary  by  Rev.  S.  R.  Brown,  a missionary  of 
the  Reformed  Church.  It  grew  rapidly  in  numbers,  and  its 
members  were  not  only  consistent,  but  in  many  cases  gave 
unmistakable  signs  of  growth  in  grace.  The  missionaries  of 
the  Reformed  Church  and  our  own  brethren  had  labored  side 
by  side,  and  were  now  rejoicing  in  this  first  fruit  of  their  com- 
mon toil.  For  a part  of  the  time,  indeed,  Mr.  Thompson  had 
charge  of  the  church.  Everything  now  wore  a cheering 
aspect.  The  missionaries  give  an  outline  of  their  work  as 
follows;  “Necessary  books  have  been  prepared,  portions  of 
Scripture  have  been  translated,  printed,  and  to  some  extent 
circulated,  schools  have  been  kept  up  and  well  attended,  tracts 
and  works  of  elementary  Christian  instruction  are  in  process 
of  preparation,  and  a church  is  organized.”  They  were  look- 
ing forward  to  a constant  and  rapid  growth  in  years  to  come. 
Their  hopes  were  not  unfounded.  From  this  time  the 
progress  has  been  rapid. 

This  year  (1872)  was  marked  also  by  the  entrance  of 
women’s  societies  into  this  field  of  Christian  work.  The 
claims  of  their  Japanese  sisters  awakened  a deep  interest  in 
the  hearts  of  our  women.  A home  for  single  women  in 
Tokyo  was  established  by  the  Women’s  Board  of  Foreign 
Missions  in  New  York,  needed  buildings  were  furnished  and 
teachers  supported;  and  the  Woman’s  Foreign  Missionary 
Society  in  Philadelphia  took  under  their  care  Mrs.  Hepburn, 
at  Yokohama,  and  Mrs.  Loomis  and  Mrs.  Carrothers,  in 
Tokyo,  and  all  looked  forward  with  eagerness  and  hope  to  a 
large  share  in  the  Christian  work  in  Japan. 

Two  native  churches,  in  Yokohama  and  Tokyo,  were 
organized  in  the  following  year,  partly  through  the  preaching 
and  personal  influence  of  our  missionaries;  but  they  did  not 
connect  themselves  with  the  Presbytery  which  was  organized 
in  December  of  that  year.  Rev.  Oliver  M.  Green  and  Misses 
Youngman  and  Gamble,  gave  needed  strength  to  the  mission, 
and  the  whole  work  of  translating  the  Scriptures,  dispensary 


i8 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF 


practice,  teaching  and  preaching,  was  carried  vigorously 
forward. 

In  1874,  the  mission  received  signal  marks  of  Divine 
favor.  The  schools  were  in  a flourishing  state,  and  doing 
efficient  service.  Children  and  youth  were  grounded  in  the 
knowledge  and  faith  of  the  Bible.  Two  churches  were  regu- 
larly organized  under  the  care  of  the  Presbytery,  the  one  in 
Yokohama  and  the  other  in  Tokyo — the  former  consisting 
of  twenty-three  members,  all  on  confession  of  faith,  and  the 
latter  of  twenty-three  also,  of  whom  sixteen  were  received  oni 
their  confession  of  Christ.  Each  of  these  churches  was  repre- 
sented in  Presbytery  by  a native  elder,  and  soon  after  their 
reception  eight  young  men  applied  to  be  taken  under  the  care 
of  the  Presbytery  as  candidates  for  the  ministry.  After  due 
examination,  they  were  received,  and  arrangements  were  made 
for  their  training  for  the  work.  Mr.  Thompson  was  mean- 
while acting  as  the  pastor  of  one  of  the  independent  churches, 
and  had  received  about  forty  into  the  communion  of  the  church 
during  the  year.  The  very  success  of  the  work  imposed  new 
burdens  upon  the  brethren.  The  theological  class  required 
constant  care  and  instruction.  It  was  easy  to  see  that  much 
would  depend  for  the  future  upon  the  qualifications  and  piety 
of  the  native  ministry.  The  care  of  the  churches  now  organ- 
ized, but  as  yet  without  native  pastors,  was  heavy  and  constant. 
The  schools,  mainly  under  the  care  of  the  women’s  societies, 
called  for  new  workers  and  new  appliances,  in  response  to 
which  Mrs.  Carrothers’  school  at  Tokyo  was  placed  upon  a 
new  basis  by  the  prompt  and  liberal  action  of  the  Philadelphia 
Society.  A lot  was  purchased  and  funds  for  a suitable  build- 
ing promised,  so  that  this  school  might  be  thoroughly  equipped 
for  its  work — a work  which  cannot  be  overestimated  in  its 
relation  to  the  moral  purification  and  elevation  of  Japanese 
women,  and  is  second  only  in  importance  to  the  preaching  of 
the  Gospel.  While  the  mission  was  reduced  in  numbers  by 
the  transfer  of  some  of  its  members  to  other  evangelical  mis- 
sions in  Japan,  and  by  the  return  to  this  country  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Loomis  on  account  of  ill  health,  it  was  soon  reinforced 
by  the  arrival  of  Rev.  William  Imbrie  and  Rev.  George  W. 
Knox  and  their  wives  from  this  country,  and  by  the  appoint- 


THE  MISSIONS  IN  JAPAN. 


19 


ment  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  C.  Ballagh,  who  were  already  in 
Japan.  The  mission  was  further  reinforced  in  the  later  seven- 
ties or  early  eighties  by  Rev.  and  Mrs.  T.  T.  Alexander,  Rev. 
and  Mrs.  T.  C.  Winn,  Rev.  J.  B.  Porter,  Miss  Mary  K.  Hesser, 
Miss  A.  E.  Garvin  and  others,  who,  settling  in  the  western 
sections  of  the  country,  were  in  1884  formally  constituted  the 
West  Japan  Mission. 

The  native  churches  were  not  only  growing  in  numbers, 
but,  what  is  of  greater  moment,  they  were  manifesting  a readi- 
ness for  every  Christian  work.  The  church  at  Tokyo  began 
at  once  to  send  out  its  offshoots  in  small  nuclei  of  Christians, 
gathered  in  other  parts  of  the  great  capital  and  in  adjoining- 
towns,  which  were  one  after  another  organized  into  churches. 
The  fire  was  spreading  in  all  directions. 

In  1876  a movement  was  initiated  on  the  part  of  the 
missionaries  of  the  Scotch  United  Presbyterian  Church,  the 
Reformed  (Dutch)  Church,  and  our  own  brethren,  holding 
a common  faith  and  occupying  the  same  field,  which  looked 
to  the  adoption  of  the  same  standard  of  faith,  order  and  wor- 
ship, and  to  a closer  union  in  church  work.  This  incipient 
union  was  consummated  in  the  following  year,  and  the  plan 
proposed  was  to  be  referred  to  the  highest  court  of  each  of 
the  denominations  for  approval.  The  result  was  the  organi- 
zation of  the  “United  Church  of  Christ  in  Japan,”  an  inde- 
pendent, self-governing  Japanese  Church.  This  church  has 
now  co-operating  with  it  the  representatives  of  five  foreign 
missionary  agencies,  viz.:  the  Reformed  (Dutch)  Church,  the 
Reformed  (German)  Church,  Presbyterian  Church  (North), 
Presbyterian  Church  (South),  and  the  Woman’s  Union  Mis- 
sionary Society  of  America.  It  is  the  strongest  body  of  Chris- 
tians in  Japan. 

An  earnest  effort  was  made  in  1889  to  unite  the  Congre- 
gational churches  with  the  Church  of  Christ,  but  without 
success. 

On  December  3d,  1890,  the  United  Church  of  Christ  in 
Japan  dropped  the  word  “United”  from  its  name,  and  adopted 
as  its  Confession  of  Faith  the  .Apostles’  Creed,  with  the  fol- 
lowing doctrinal  preface: 


20 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF 


“The  Lord  Jesus,  whom  we  adore  as  God,  the  only  begotten  Son 
of  God,  for  us  men  and  for  our  salvation  became  man  and  suffered. 
For  the  sake  of  His  perfect  sacrifice  for  sin,  he  who  is  in  Him  by  faith 
is  pardoned  and  accounted  righteous;  and  faith,  working  by  love, 
purifies  the  heart. 

“The  Holy  Spirit,  who,  with  the  Father  and  the  Son,  is  worshipped 
and  glorified,  reveals  Jesus  Christ  to  the  soul;  and  without  His  grace 
man,  being  dead  in  sin,  cannot  enter  the  Kingdom  of  God.  By  Him 
vvere  the  prophets  and  holy  men  of  old  inspired;  and  He,  speaking  in 
the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  is  the  supreme  and 
infallible  Judge  in  all  matters  of  faith  and  living. 

“From  these  Holy  Scriptures  the  ancient  Church  drew  its  Con- 
fession; and  we,  holding  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints,  join 
in  that  Confession  with  praise  and  thanksgiving. 

“I  believe  in  God  the  Father  Almighty,”  etc. 

The  evangelistic  spirit  of  the  Church  of  Christ  is  worthy 
of  all  praise.  It  has  its  own  Board  of  Missions,  to  which  the 
contributions  in  1908  amounted  to  nearly  10,000  yen.*  It  has 
a successful  work  in  Japan’s  new  possession,  the  island  of 
Formosa,  where  a Presbytery  has  been  established,  and  it  is 
carrying  on  an  active  campaign  among  the  Japanese  in  Korea 
and  Manchuria.  Its  first  foreign  missionary  effort  was  begun 
in  1909,  by  sending  a Japanese  missionary  to  North  China. 

The  Union  Theological  School  was  organized  in  Septem- 
ber, 1877,  by  the  missions  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the 
United  States  of  America,  the  Reformed  Church  in  America, 
and  the  United  Presbyterian  Church  of  Scotland.  The  Uniort 
College  was  organized  in  June,  1883,  by  the  missions  of  the 
American  Presbyterian  and  the  Reformed  Churches.  In 
June,  1886,  these  institutions  were  united,  and,  with  the  Special 
Department  then  organized,  became  the  Meiji  Gakiiin,  i.  e., 
“College  of  the  Era  of  Enlightened  Peace.”  In  this  new 
institution  the  Union  Theological  School  became  the  Japanese 
Theological  Department,  the  Union  College  the  Academic 
Department,  and  the  Special  Department  offered  instruction 
through  the  medium  of  the  English  language  in  theology  and 
other  special  studies  to  the  graduates  of  the  Academic  De- 
partment and  to  others  similarly  qualified. 

The  aim  of  the  Meiji  Gakiiin  is  to  provide  for  its  students 
a thorough  education  under  Christian  influences,  and  espe- 
cially to  train  young  men  for  the  Christian  ministry. 


*A  yen  is  equivalent  to  about  50  cents  in  gold. 


THE  MISSIONS  IN  JAPAN. 


21 


The  institution  is  located  at  Shirokanemura,  a southern 
suburb  of  Tokyo,  about  one  mile  northwest  of  the  railway 
station  at  Shinagawa.  Sandham  Hall,  Hepburn  Hall  and 
Harris  Hall  contain  recitation  rooms  sufficient  for  four  hun- 
dred students,  with  a library,  besides  dormitory  and  dining- 
room accommodations  for  one  hundred  and  fifty  boarders. 
Harris  Hall  was  erected  through  the  liberality  of  Messrs.  G. 
S.  Harris  & Sons,  of  Philadelphia.  A theological  hall  was 
built  in  1891,  a commodious  chapel  in  1904,  and  a dormitory 
for  theological  students  in  1908. 

In  1880  the  missionaries  were  permitted  to  rejoice  in  the 
completed  translation  of  the  New  Testament.  In  1888  the 
translation  of  the  Old  Testament  was  accomplished,  thus 
giving  the  whole  Bible  to  the  Japanese.  It  is  a great  satis- 
faction to  Dr.  Hepburn  and  his  co-laborers  that  he  was  spared 
to  put  the  finishing  touch  to  this  great  work.  It  bids  fair  to 
take  rank  among  the  best  translations  ever  made. 

It  was  only  to  be  expected  that  an  advance  so  unprece- 
dented should  be  followed  by  reaction.  The  years  1889-90 
were  a period  of  great  political  activity  and  intense  national 
feeling,  taking  the  form  of  violent  prejudice  against  foreigners 
and  foreign  teaching's,  which  was  fostered  by  political  leaders 
for  their  own  advantage.  The  result  was  seen  in  the  decreased 
attendance  upon  the  mission  schools  and  in  the  growing  im- 
patience of  anything  like  foreign  control  in  church  affairs.  A 
strong  feeling  prevailed  that  those  who  became  Christians 
were  faithless  to  their  national  traditions,  and  could  not  be 
relied  on  for  patriotic  service.  Tbe  outbreak  of  the  war  with 
China  in  1894  and  the  enthusiasm  with  which  Christians  as 
well  as  others  responded  to  their  country’s  call,  did  much  to 
remove  this  prejudice.  The  excitement  of  the  campaign  in- 
terfered seriously  with  regular  mission  work,  but  in  many 
ways  the  war  was  the  means  of  opening  wider  doors  to  the 
Gospel. 

When  the  time  came  for  the  ratification  of  the  new  treaties 
in  1899,  there  was  great  excitement  among  the  conservatives 
and  the  zealous  Buddhists  lest  the  country  should  be  overrun 
by  foreigners  and  the  faith  of  the  people  in  Buddhism  de- 
stroyed. New  educational  regulations  were  adopted  by  the 


22 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF 


government,  which  placed  all  Christian  schools  at  great  dis- 
advantage, and  made  it  necessary  to  close  some  altogether. 
This  attitude  of  suspicion  and  alarm  affected  all  missionary 
work  for  a time;  but  the  tension  gradually  relaxed,  and  the 
steady  growth  of  enlightenment  tends  constantly  toward  a 
more  liberal  policy. 

In  April,  1900,  the  Evangelical  Alliance  of  Japan  met  in 
Osaka,  and  decided  to  inaugurate  the  new  century  by  special 
evangelistic  work  throughout  the  Empire.  The  General 
Conference  of  Missionaries  which  met  in  Tokyo  in  October 
appointed  a committee  to  co-operate  with  the  committee  of 
the  Alliance  in  this  work.  From  this  beginning  grew  the 
extraordinary  movement  known  as  the  “Kirisvtokyo  Taikyo 
Dendo”  (the  universal  extension  of  Christianity).  The  meet- 
ings began  in  Tokyo  in  May,  1901,  and  a remarkable  awaken- 
ing of  interest  in  Christianity  was  manifest  throughout  the 
country.  Crowded  meetings,  mostly  carried  on  by  Japanese 
pastors  and  Christians,  were  held  in  all  the  principal  towns. 
At  least  10,000  persons  enrolled  themselves  as  desirous  to  be 
instructed  in  the  Christian  faith.  Every  department  of  work 
has  felt  the  inspiration  of  the  new  enthusiasm.  The  numbers 
of  the  new  converts  actually  brought  into  the  communion  of 
the  Church  has  not  as  yet  been  large;  but  it  is  too  soon  to 
foresee  what  enduring  results  will  follow  this  widespread 
interest. 

The  work  of  the  Young  Men’s  Christian  Association  has 
been  remarkably  fruitful  among  Japanese  students.  There 
are  branches  in  all  the  principal  colleges,  including  the  Im- 
perial Universities.  In  1901,  Mr.  John  R.  Mott,  Secretary  of 
the  World’s  Student  Federation,  visited  the  country,  speaking 
to  crowds  of  young  men  in  all  the  large  cities.  As  a result, 
more  than  1,400  students  professed  their  willingness  to  inves- 
tigate Christianity,  and  a large  number  have  applied  for  bap- 
tism. 

During  the  Russo-Japanese  war,  the  Christian  forces  of 
Japan  combined  and  through  the  medium  of  the  Christian 
Association  sent  a number  of  workers  to  the  front,  both 
Japanese  and  missionary,  and  throughout  the  war  conducted 
activities  along  social,  intellectual,  moral  and  spiritual  lines 


THE  MISSIONS  IN  JAPAN. 


23 


that  proved  so  helpful  to  the  army  that  not  only  were  the 
officers  and  men  enthusiastic  in  their  praise  of  the  services 
rendered,  but  leading  non-Christian  business  men  contributed 
toward  the  support  of  the  work,  and  the  Emperor  himself 
made  an  unprecedented  grant  of  10,000  yen  toward  it.  This 
Christian  campaign  convinced  the  nation  more  than  anything 
that  had  preceded  it  that  Christianity  was  a national  blessing, 
and  something  to  be  desired  both  for  individual  and  social 
good.  It  is  a matter  of  congratulation  that  our  own  mission- 
aries and  Japanese  workers  had  a leading  share  in  this  splendid 
work. 

EAST  JAPAN  MISSION. 

Yokohama,  first  occupied  by  our  Board  in  i860, 
YOKOHAMA  was  then  an  insignificant  village  of  fishermen. 

Now  it  is  a city  of  350,000  inhabitants,  with 
many  churches  and  schools.  For  many  years  our  work  there 
was  in  charge  of  Dr.  James  Hepburn,  whose  wisdom  and 
devotion  were  blessed  by  rare  success.  A beautiful  stone 
church,  erected  by  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Hepburn  and  their  friends, 
was  dedicated  in  1891.  There  are  now  in  Yokohama  two 
self-supporting  churches,  well  organized  for  work  under  their 
Japanese  pastors.  Since  1903,  no  missionaries  have  been 
located  here,  as  the  workers  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church 
were  regarded  as  being  able  to  take  care  of  the  work  in  this 
place.  It  is  no  less  beloved,  however,  on  account  of  the  early 
associations  of  our  missionaries  in  the  work. 

Tokyo,  the  capital,  has  been  since  1869  the  head- 
TOKYO  quarters  of  our  mission.  The  first  church  was  or- 
ganized in  1873.  The  regular  work  of  the  churches 
is  now  largely  assumed  by  the  Japanese  pastors,  leaving  the 
missionaries  free  to  carry  on  new  work  in  the  city  and  vicinity. 
Many  churches  and  preaching-places  in  the  surrounding  coun- 
try are  regularly  visited. 

For  many  years  past  open-air  evangelistic  work  has  been 
maintained  at  Uyeno,  a district  of  the  city  lying  between  two 
popular  shrines,  where  crowds  pass  to  and  fro.  Missions  and 
chapels  also  for  seed-sowing  are  conducted  and  thousands  of 
people  are  reached  in  this  way  every  year. 


24 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF 


A training  school  for  Bible  women  was  established  some 
years  since,  and  its  graduates  have  done  efficient  service  in 
the  homes  of  their  people.  The  course  gives  half  of  each 
year  to  the  students  for  country  work.  A girls’  boarding- 
school,  one  of  the  earliest  agencies  employed  in  Tokyo,  was 
begun  by  Mrs.  Carrothers  m 1871.  Ground  was  bought  in 
1876,  in  the  part  of  the  city  where  foreigners  were  allowed, 
and  a building  erected.  It  was  afterwards  named  Graham 
Seminary,  in  honor  of  the  President  of  the  New  York  Wo- 
man’s Board.  Three  years  afterward  a Japanese  lady,  Mrs. 
Sakurai,  who  had  become  a Christian,  began  a school  in  her 
own  house,  in  a district  of  the  native  city  called  Bancho.  This 
was  afterward  committed  to  Mrs.  True  and  Miss  Davis,  under 
whose  devoted  care  it  became  very  large  and  influential,  hav- 
ing at  one  time  over  300  scholars.  In  1890  it  was  thought 
wise  to  unite  these  two  schools.  Both  properties  were  sold, 
and  suitable  buildings  erected  near  the  Bancho  School.  The 
buildings  are  known  as  Graham  Hall  and  Sakurai  Hall,  and 
the  school  is  called  the  Joshi  Gakuin.  It  is  organized  in  three 
departments.  Preparatory,  Academic  and  Advanced,  and  ranks 
very  high  among  Christian  schools  for  girls.  It  has  an  at- 
tendance of  about  250  pupils,  most  of  the  graduates  being 
Christians,  who  are  filling  positions  of  trust  and  responsibility 
throughout  the  country.  There  are  two  day-schools  and  two 
kindergartens,  reaching  in  all  about  500  children. 

A training-school  for  nurses,  planned  by  Mrs.  J.  Ballagh 
before  her  death,  was  begun  by  Mrs.  True  in  1886.  It  soon 
outgrew  the  care  of  the  mission,  and  was  transferred  to 
Japanese  supporters.  Miss  Youngman  and  other  ladies  have 
assisted  in  the  care  of  a Leper  Home  supported  by  the  Edin- 
burgh Mission  to  Lepers,  and  a Rescue  Home  for  Women. 

The  Hokkaido  (Northern  Sea  Circuit),  in- 
THE  HOKKAIDO  eluding  Yezo  and  the  Kurile  Islands,  is  the 
most  northern  province  of  Japan.  It  is  as 
large  as  Ireland,  containing  one-fifth  of  the  empire,  but  the 
population  is  less  than  1,000,000,  and  much  of  the  interior  is 
wild  forest  and  prairie.  Immigrants  are  pouring  in  by 
thousands  from  the  southern  provinces,  attracted  by  the 
wealth  of  minerals  and  timber.  A few  of  the  Ainu,  the 


THE  MISSIONS  IN  JAPAN. 


25 


aborigines  of  the  islands,  remain,  but  they  are  gradually 
perishing  through  contact  with  a stronger  race.  Our  mission 
is  working  from  three  centres,  where  there  have  already 
developed  self-sustaining  churches,  and  a number  of  bodies  of 
believers  in  out-stations.  Sapporo,  the  capital  city,  is  the 
place  where  Christianity  has  taken  deepest  hold,  and  the 
strong  church  established  there  is  the  fruit  of  a Sunday  school 
begun  in  1887  by  Miss  S.  C.  Smith  and  Mrs.  Watase,  the  first 
graduate  of  Graham  Seminary.  The  Hokusei  Jo  Gakko  or 
School  for  Girls,  is  doing  a splendid  work  with  its  attendance 
of  175  pupils.  This  school  was  opened  in  1887  by  Miss  Smith, 
who  still  presides  over  it  and  rejoices  in  its  success. 

The  work  in  Otaru  was  begun  in  1894  by  Miss  Glara  H. 
Rose,  who  from  a little  Sunday-school  for  fishermen’s  children 
has  built  up  a promising  Girls’  School  of  the  industrial  order, 
with  fifty  pupils  in  attendance,  besides  a flourishing  kinder- 
garten of  100  pupils.  The  small  town  of  a few  years  ago  has 
grown  to  a city  of  over  100,000  inhabitants,  and  a vigorous 
church  is  making  its  power  felt  over  the  lives  of  the  people. 

The  new  town  of  Asahigawa  is  also  the  newest  station, 
having  been  opened  in  1900  by  the  transfer  to  that  place  of 
the  Rev.  and  Mrs.  George  P.  Pierson.  With  the  rapid  growth 
of  the  town,  the  Church  has  kept  pace,  and  the  earnest,  ener- 
getic body  of  Christians  have  not  only  built  themselves  a 
church  and  a pastor’s  residence,  but  have  assumed  self-support 
and  assist  in  the  work  of  the  surrounding  region.  The  Obihiro 
prison,  where  the  great  revival  took  place  in  1907,  which  re- 
sulted in  the  conversion  of  several  hundred  of  the  convicts  and 
many  of  the  officials  and  their  families,  is  within  the  bounds  of 
this  station. 


WEST  JAPAN  MISSION. 

The  first  station  occupied  on  the  western  coast 
KANAZAWA  was  Kanazawa,  a city  of  100,000  inhabitants. 

When  the  first  missionary,  Rev.  T.  C.  Winn, 
went  there  in  1879,  there  was  not,  so'  far  as  known,  a single 
Christian  living  in  the  western  provinces.  Now  every  im- 
portant city  has  its  groups  of  Christians,  and  some  of  them 
vigorous  churches.  Of  these,  Kanazawa  has  two,  under 


26 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF 


Japanese  pastors,  while  the  evangelistic  w'ork  in  the  city  and 
the  country  districts  is  superintended  by  the  American 
missionaries. 

With  the  coming  of  the  railroad  and  the  increased  inter- 
course w'ith  other  places,  much  of  the  opposition  which  was 
formerly  so  pronounced  in  this  stronghold  of  Buddhism,  has 
died  away.  The  missionaries  find  splendid  opportunities  in 
Bible-class  and  Sunday-school  work,  wdiere  individuals  can  be 
known  and  reached,  as  w^ell  as  in  the  public  preaching  of  the 
Gospel  in  chapels  and  churches.  A correspondence  class  for 
Bible  study  has  nearly  1,500  members,  mostly  people  of  edu- 
cation. A systematic  plan  of  itineration  aims  to  reach  all  parts 
of  the  country  field  during  the  year. 

The  schools  of  Kanazaw’a  have  always  held  high  rank. 
The  girls’  boarding-school,  founded  by  Miss  Hesser  in  1885, 
still  bears  the  impress  of  her  devoted  character.  The  name 
has  been  changed  to  Hokuriku  Girls’  School,  from  the  name 
of  the  district,  and  reports  150  scholars,  of  whom  nearly  half 
are  Christians. 

The  children’s  school,  long  carried  on  by  Miss  F.  E. 
Porter,  still  exists  in  the  form  of  a successful  kindergarten,  one 
of  the  best  in  Japan.  It  has  70  pupils,  and  is  the  centre  of  a 
strong  evangelistic  influence.  A boys’  school,  maintained  for 
some  years,  was  given  up  because  the  American  Methodists 
have  one  of  the  same  grade. 

Osaka,  on  the  Inland  Sea.  one  of  the  imperial  ports, 
OSAKA  and  a great  manufacturing  centre,  is  the  first  city 
of  the  Empire  in  commercial  importance  and  the 
second  in  population,  containing  nearly  a million  souls.  The 
results  of  many  years  of  patient  labor  are  seen  in  five  w^ell- 
established  churches,  with  schools  and  chapels.  Work  in  this 
station  w-as  begun  by  the  Rev.  T.  T.  Alexander,  D.  D.,  and 
fostered  by  his  large  influence  until  his  death  in  1903.  This 
was  also  the  starting  point  of  the  former  Cumberland  Presby- 
terian mission  established  in  1879  by  Rev.  A.  D.  Hail  and  Rev. 
J.  B.  Hail,  w'hich  was  united  with  the  West  Japan  Mission  in 
1907.  Extensive  evangelistic  work  is  carried  on  in  the  sur- 
rounding territory. 

The  Naniw^a  Jo  Gakko,  a girls’  school,  established  by  Miss 


THE  MISSIONS  IN  JAPAN. 


27 


A.  E.  Garvin  in  1884,  and  the  Wilmina  Jo  Gakko,  the  school 
of  the  Cumberland  mission,  were  merged  at  the  time  of  the 
union  of  the  two  Churches  into  a thriving  institution,  under 
the  name  of  the  Wilmina  Girls’  School  of  Osaka.  It  has 
enrolled  upwards  of  200  pupils. 

In  1904,  the  Rev.  D.  A.  Murray,  D.  D.,  established  a 
Training  School  for  Evangelists,  following  the  methods  of  the 
Moody  Institute  in  Chicago.  The  school  has  been  very  suc- 
cessful, and  is  training  about  thirty  young  men  as  practical 
and  useful  workers. 

The  Rev.  J.  B.  Hail,  D.  D.,  and  Mrs.  Hail,  the 
WAKAYAMA  veteran  missionaries  of  the  former  Cumberland 

Presbyterian  Church,  removed  to  this  field 
from  Osaka  and  established  this  station  in  1881.  It  is  beau- 
tifully situated  in  one  of  the  historic  districts  of  the  country. 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  Hail  have  labored  for  the  most  part  alone  in 
this  territory,  and  have  kept  the  work  purely  evangelistic.  An 
extensive  country  work  has  been  built  up  through  patient  and 
persevering  itineration.  A strong  church  exists  at  Waka- 
yama, and  also  at  Tanabe  to  the  eastward,  where  Miss  Julia 
Leavitt  resides,  and  has  labored  faithfully  for  many  years, 
much  of  the  time  entirely  alone,  among  a people  by  whom  she 
is  greatly  beloved. 

Hiroshima,  on  the  same  coast,  is  next  in  im- 
HIROSHIMA  portance  to  Osaka.  It  is  a military  and  naval 

station,  and  some  of  the  first  converts  were 
among  the  soldiers.  A little  church  was  organized  in  1883, 
and  the  place  occupied  in  1887  by  Rev.  A.  V.  Bryan  and  Mrs. 
Bryan,  the  first  missionaries  of  any  name  in  the  region.  The 
work  has  grown  slowly,  in  spite  of  the  peculiar  difficulties  met 
in  a garrison  town,  and  there  are  now  in  the  city  and  neigh- 
borhood a self-supporting  church  and  five  out-stations.  In 
the  war  of  1894,  Hiroshima  was  for  a time  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment, and  all  regular  work  was  temporarily  suspended.  The 
church  was  rented  by  the  government  for  a Red  Cross  hos- 
pital. Every  facility  was  given  for  access  to  the  soldiers,  both 
in  barracks  and  hospital,  and  quantities  of  Bibles  and  Chris- 
tian reading  were  distributed  among  them.  Almost  the  same 


28 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF 


conditions  existed  in  the  Russian  War  of  1904-1905,  when  the 
good  work  was  repeated  in  behalf  of  the  soldiers. 

Kyoto,  the  ancient  sacred  capital,  is  a very  attractive 
KYOTO  city,  and  the  centre  of  artistic  manufactures.  A 
church  of  ninety  members  was  organized  in  1894, 
and  has  grown  into  vigorous  self-support.  The  mission 
of  the  American  Board  has  its  headquarters  here. 
In  1895,  their  missionaries  united  with  Mr.  Porter  in 
holding  daily  services,  with  audiences  ranging  from  25  to  200. 
Many  of  the  hearers  were  from  the  country,  and  had  never 
heard  the  Word  before. 

Kyoto  is  a city  of  schools.  Besides  the  Imperial  Uni- 
versity, there  are  numerous  technical  and  secondary  schools, 
so  that  a great  field  for  effort  is  opened  among  the  students. 
Services  are  held  at  Nishiji  and  at  Gozo,  where  another  church 
is  rapidly  growing  up.  good  location  has  been  secured  in 
the  student  quarter  and  the  work  there  is  meeting  with  much 
success.  Women’s  meetings  are  maintained,  and  two  kinder- 
gartens, which  are  always  filled  to  overflowing. 

This  is  one  of  the  stations  of  the  former  Cumberland 
TSU  Church,  established  in  1890,  and  was  the  scene  of  the 
devoted  labors  of  Mrs.  Drennan  for  many  years.  Her 
influence  was  so  strongly  felt  that  a memorial  church  has  been 
erected  to  her  memory,  largely  through  the  efforts  of  the 
Japanese  Christians.  A large  country  work  is  full  of  promise, 
and  the  territory  is  the  undivided  field  of  our  Church.  Tsu 
is  a city  of  50,000,  eastward  from  Kyoto,  has  a delightful 
climate,  and  is  the  centre  of  a rich  and  prosperous  district. 

Yamaguchi,  in  the  extreme  southwest  of  Hondo, 
YAMAGUCHI  is  the  centre  of  a large  population.  The  church 
here  has  a devoted  pastor,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hattori, 
and  in  1891,  Rev.  J.  B.  Ayres  and  Rev.  J.  W.  Doughty  went 
to  take  oversight  of  the  outside  work.  The  influence  of  an 
excellent  governor,  whose  wife  is  a Christian,  creates  a friendly 
atmosphere  for  the  truth.  There  are  2,500  students  in  Yama- 
guchi, and  its  Y.  M.  C.  A.  is  very  prosperous.  The  people 
of  the  surrounding  country  are  most  accessible  and  friendly. 
Fourteen  out-stations  and  seven  occasional  preaching-places 
are  visited  by  the  evangelists  and  helpers.  The  most  urgent 


THE  MISSIONS  IN  JAPAN. 


29 


field  is  in  the  island  of  Kinshiu,  lying  opposite,  where  there 
are  more  than  five  millions  of  people,  for  whom  little  has  yet 
been  done.  The  Kojo  (Castle  of  Light)  Girls’  School,  the 
youngest  school  of  the  mission,  is  firmly  established,  with  fifty 
girls  in  attendance.  A kindergarten  attracts  as  many  parents 
as  children. 

Fukui  is  a city  of  50,000  people  on  the  west  coast 
FUKUI  railway,  fifty  miles  south  from  Kanazawa.  It  was 
occupied  by  the  Rev.  G.  W.  Fulton,  D.  D.,  and  Mrs. 
Fulton  in  1891.  The  people  were  at  first  strongly  Buddhistic 
and  anti-Christian,  but  the  patient  and  persevering  work  of 
twenty  years  has  largely  overcome  the  antipathy.  The  young 
church  is  growing,  and  the  work  of  the  region  is  being  prose- 
cuted in  three  or  four  out-stations.  Tsuruga,  one  of  the  out- 
stations,  is  a growing  town,  one  of  the  new  ports  of  Japan, 
and  the  terminus  of  the  steamship  line  connecting  with  Vladi- 
vostock. 

The  Cumberland  Church  entered  this,  the  head- 
YAMADA  quarters  of  Shinto,  in  1893.  It  is  a comparatively 
small  town,  but  the  work  is  important,  because  of 
the  tens  of  thousands  of  pilgrims,  who  visit  the  celebrated 
shrines  of  Ise  annually,  and  lodge  for  days  in  the  place.  A 
rapidly  growing  church,  with  a neat  house  of  worship,  is  shed- 
ding its  light  not  only  upon  the  residents  of  the  place,  but  is 
illumining  many  also  who  come  from,  distant  parts  of  the 
country.  In  addition  to  the  local  work,  the  missionary  visits 
a number  of  out-stations. 

South  of  Hiroshima,  five  hours’  sail  across  the 
MATSUYAMA  beautiful  Inland  Sea,  lies  the  city  of  Matsu- 
yama, with  about  36,000  inhabitants.  There 
is  a little  church,  organized  in  1899,  with  a good  Japanese 
pastor,  and  in  1901  Rev.  A.  V.  Bryan  and  Mrs.  Bryan  were 
transferred  from  Hiroshima  to  found  the  new  station.  The 
people  are  friendly  and  receptive,  and  the  work  is  most  encour- 
aging. 

A few  years  ago  this  was  hardly  more  than  a fishing 
KURE  village,  until  it  was  made  one  of  the  three  great  naval 
stations  of  the  country.  The  population  has  rapidly 
increased,  until  it  is  now  a thriving  city  of  over  a hundred 


30 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF 


thousand  people.  A church  was  org'anized  during  the  eighties, 
but  it  was  not  till  1905  that  it  became  a mission  station  by  the 
removal  thither  of  the  Rev.  and  Mrs.  Harvey  Brokaw.  The 
work  has  grown,  the  church  become  independent,  and  a num- 
ber of  out-stations  are  regularly  visited  by  the  missionaries. 
The  “Fukuin  Geppo,”  a monthly  paper  for  evangelistic  pur- 
poses, has  nearly  2,000  readers. 


Our  missionaries  have  felt  the  necessity  of  fol- 
KOREA  AND  lowing  the  course  of  the  Japanese  Empire. 
MANCHURIA  After  the  war  with  Russia,  many  thousands  of 
Japanese  subjects  migrated  to  Korea  and  Man- 
churia. The  number  is  constantly  increasing.  Calls  came 
for  Christian  workers  to  labor  among  them,  to  which  the 
Japanese  Church  and  the  missions  heartily  responded.  A 
number  of  Japanese  evangelists  were  sent  and  the  Rev.  and 
Mrs.  T.  C.  Winn  were  located  in  Dairen  (Dalny)  in  1906, 
the  Rev.  and  Mrs.  A.  V.  Bryan  in  Port  Arthur  in  1907,  and 
the  Rev.  and  Mrs.  F.  S.  Curtis  in  Seoul  the  same  year.  The 
work  has  since  then  been  carried  on  from  these  three  centres 
with  most  encouraging  results.  It  has  the  cordial  sympathy 
of  the  Japanese  Government  and  the  active  co-operation  of 
many  of  the  officials. 


The  work  in  Japan  has  just  passed  its  half-century 
PRESENT  milestone.  A grand  celebration  of  this  ev^nt  was 
OUTLOOK  held  October  5-10,  1909,  planned  and  carried 
through  by  a joint  committee  representing  both 
the  churches  and  the  missions.  During  the  past  fifty  years 
tremendous  changes  have  taken  place  in  Japan  politically, 
intellectually,  socially,  religiously.  A new  nation  has  been 
formed,  and  Christianity  has  been  one  of  the  leading  factors 
in  the  re-creation.  Count  Okuma,  Japan’s  leading  statesman 
now  living,  in  an  address  at  the  above  celebration  said  that 
“before  the  coming  of  the  West  in  its  missionary  representa- 
tives and  by  the  spirit  of  the  Gospel,  Japan  never  took  wide 
views  nor  entered  upon  wide  work;  but  under  their  influence 
and  inspiration,  the  nation  has  been  led  to  world-wide  thoughts 
and  world-wide  work.  The  success  of  Christian  work  in  Japan 


THE  MISSIONS  IN  JAPAN. 


31 


is  measured  by  the  extent  to  which  it  has  infused  the  Christian 
spirit  and  ideal  into  almost  the  entire  nation,  and  by  its  being 
the  means  of  putting  into  the  last  fifty  years  of  its  history  an 
advance  equivalent  to  that  of  a century.”  This  is  a striking 
testimony  from  a man  who  has  been  closely  associated  with 
all  the  movements  of  these  recent  years  and  who  knows  well 
the  power  which  Christianity  has  had  in  the  development  of 
the  nation. 

A Protestant  Church  of  80,000  members,  gathered  into 
nearly  600  organized  churches,  approximately  one-third  of 
which  are  self-supporting,  and  raising  for  all  purposes  about 
$150,000  gold  annually,  is  the  visible  fruit  of  the  work  of  the 
last  half-century.  The  Presbyterian  Church,  called  “The 
Church  of  Christ,”  heads  the  list,  with  a membership  of  20,000, 
increasing  at  the  rate  of  twelve  per  cent,  net  each  year,  having 
seventy  independent  churches,  and  raising  upwards  of  $50,000 
for  its  own  support  and  work.  This  Church  has  in  it  many 
pastors  and  members  of  commanding  ability  and  influence, 
and  is  permeated  with  a strong  evangelical  faith  and  a spirit 
of  aggressive  evangelism.  It  feels  the  burden  of  responsibility 
for  the  evangelization  of  its  own  people,  and  is  exerting  itself 
with  very  commendable  zeal  toward  the  accomplishing  of  the 
task.  It  welcomes  heartily  the  presence  and  assistance  of 
faithful  missionaries,  and  the  financial  help  accorded  by  the 
Christians  of  x\merica. 

In  educational  work  we  are  represented  by  seven  kinder- 
gartens, two  primary  schools,  six  girls’  schools,  one  boys’ 
school,  one  school  for  Bible  women,  one  school  for  evangelists 
and  one  theological  seminary.  These  institutions  are  all  of 
good  standing,  and  scattered  over  the  country  in  strategical 
centres,  are  doing  a splendid  work  not  only  for  the  cause  of 
education,  but  for  the  cause  of  Christ. 

Japan  is  open  to  the  Gospel.  The  hearts  of  her  people 
are  responding  more  and  more  to  its  teaching  and  its  claims. 
Perhaps  a million  people  have  felt  the  touch  of  its  power,  and 
are  ordering  their  lives  more  or  less  according  to  its  standards 
and  cherishing  secretly  in  their  hearts  the  hope  which  it 
affords.  The  remaining  4g,ooo,ooo  are  still  to  be  evangelized. 
The  difficulties  in  the  work  are  only  such  as  are  common  to 


32 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF 


most  missionary  lands,  in  the  way  of  ancient  faiths  which  have 
largely  lost  their  hold  on  the  people,  but  remain  from  force 
of  habit  the  recognized  religions,  or  the  evil  of  men’s  hearts, 
which  exists  among  the  Japanese  in  common  with  the  rest  of 
humanity,  and  which  opposes  itself  to  the  pure  and  holy  living 
demanded  by  the  religion  of  Jesus. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  argue  for  the  strategical  importance 
of  Christianizing  the  Japanese  nation.  They  are  to-day 
leaders  of  the  Orient.  Their  example  is  being  watched  and 
their  influence  felt  among  all  the  peoples  of  Asia.  Many  stu- 
dents from  other  Asiatic  countries  are  studying  in  the  schools 
of  Japan,  and  are  taking  back  to  their  own  lands  impressions 
received,  as  well  as  ideas  and  ideals,  to  guide  their  rulers  in 
remoulding  their  institutions  and  the  trend  of  their  national 
life.  Christ  must  be  put  into  the  heart  of  Japan,  her  influence 
must  be  made  in  every  sense  distinctly  and  avowedly  Chris- 
tian, if  we  are  to  pursue  a statesmanlike  policy  in  the  evangeli- 
zation of  Asia. 

The  Church  m.ay  well  take  courage  from  the  past  success 
of  her  efforts  in  this  land  we  have  been  considering,  but  what 
has  already  been  accomplished  should  only  inspire  her  to  re- 
newed determination  to  finish  the  task  of  making  Japan  a 
Christian  nation.  The  call  for  the  Gospel  has  never  been  so 
eager,  the  need  has  never  been  so  urgent,  and  the  opportunity 
has  never  been  so  hopeful  as  at  present.  We  should  redouble 
our  efforts,  continue  to  send  out  our  best  missionaries,  multi- 
ply our  gifts,  and  in  particular  should  baptize  the  whole  work 
with  such  a spirit  of  prayer  that  all  difficulties  and  obstacles 
would  disappear,  and  before  the  centennial  milestone  was 
reached,  Jesus  Christ  would  be  enthroned  over  the  Japanese 
Empire  and  all  the  people  acknowledge  Him  as  Lord  and 
Saviour. 


THE  MISSIONS  IN  JAPAN. 


33 


SOME  STATISTICS  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST 
IH  JAPAN,  1908. 


Japanese  ministers  89 

Other  Japanese  workers  (estimated) 250 

Churches  self-supporting  68 

Communicants  18,969 

Pupils  in  schools 3>253 

Pupils  in  Sunday-schools  (partial) 11,925 

Dependent  churches  I37 

Preaching  stations,  additional 121 

Contributions  for  all  purposes  (gold) $Si,535 


EAST  JAPAN  MISSION. 

Yokohama — On  the  bay,  a few  miles  below  Tokyo;  mission  begun 

1859- 

Tokyo,  1869 — Rev.  David  Thompson,  D.  D.,  and  Mrs.  Thompson, 
Rev.  William  Imbrie,  D.  D.,  and  Mrs.  Imbrie,  Mrs.  J.  M.  McCauley, 
Rev.  H.  M.  Landis  and  Mrs.  Landis,  Rev.  Theodore  M.  MacNair  and 
Mrs.  MacNair,  Mr.  J.  C.  Ballagh  and  Mrs.  Ballash,  Rev.  A.  K.  Reis- 
chauer  and  Mrs.  Reischauer,  Miss  Kate  C.  Youngman,  Miss  Annie  B. 
West,  Miss  Elizabeth  T.  Milliken.  Miss  Lida  S.  Halsey,  Miss  Elizabeth 
R.  Campbell,  Miss  Matilda  H.  London. 

Hokkaido:  Sapporo,  the  capital  of  the  Hokkaido  (Yezzo),  350 
miles  north  of  Tokyo;  1887 — Rev.  W.  T.  Johnson  and  Mrs.  Johnson, 
-^Miss  S.  C.  Smith,  Miss  I.  M.  Ward,  Miss  Alice  M.  Monk.  Otaru,  25 
miles  northwest  of  Sapporo — Miss  C.  H.  Rose.  Asahigawa,  about  100 
miles  northeast  of  Sapporo — Rev.  George  P.  Pierson  and  Mrs.  Pierson. 


WEST  JAPAN  MISSION. 

Kanazawa,  1879;  on  the  west  coast  of  the  main  island,  about  180 
miles  northwest  of  Tokyo — Rev.  G.  W.  Fulton  and  Mrs.  Fulton,  Miss 
K.  Anna  Gibbons,  Miss  Janet  M.  Johnston,  Miss  E.  Magnet,  Miss  Lucile 
Dooley. 

Osaka,  1881 ; a seaport  on  the  main  island,  about  250  miles  south 
by  west  of  Tokyo — Rev.  A.  D.  Hail,  D.  D.,  and  Mrs.  Hail,  Rev.  G.  W. 
Van  JJorn  and  Mrs.  Van  Horn,  Rev.  D.  A.  Murray,  D.  D.,  and  Mrs. 
Murray,  Miss  Agnes  Morgan,  Miss  Mary  Ransom,  Miss  Sallie  Alex- 
ander, Miss  Annie  Hail. 

Hiroshima,  1887 : on  northern  coast  of  the  Inland  Sea,  about  410 
miles  southwest  of  Tokyo — Rev.  W.  B.  Langsdorf,  Ph.D.,  and  Mrs. 
Langsdorf,  Miss  A.  E.  Garvin,  Miss  Mary  B.  M.  Cooper. 

Kyoto,  1890;  250  miles  southwest  of  Tokyo,  on  Lake  Biwako — 
Rev.  J.  P.  Gorbold  and  Mrs.  Gorbold,  Miss  F.  E.  Porter. 

Yamaguchi,  1891 ; about  470  miles  southwest  of  Tokyo — Rev.  J. 
B.  Ayres  and  Mrs.  Ayres,  Miss  Gertrude  Bigelow,  Miss  Lillian  A.  Wells, 
and  Miss  Florence  Iligelow. 

Fukui,  1891 ; about  220  miles  west  of  Tokyo — Rev.  J.  G.  Dunlop 
and  Mrs.  Dunlop. 


34 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF 


Dairen,  Manchuria,  1907 — Rev.  T,  C.  Winn  and  Mrs.  'W’inn. 

Port  Arthur  (Dalny),  Manchuria,  1907 — Rev.  A.  V.  Bryan  and 
Mrs.  Bryan. 

Shimonoseki,  1904;  on  southwest  point  of  Island  of  Hondo,  about 
480  miles  southwest  of  Tokyo — Rev.  W.  Y.  Jones,  D.  D.,  and  Mrs. 
Jones. 

Kure,  1906;  on  the  Inland  Sea — Rev.  Harvey  Brokaw  and  Mrs. 
Brokaw. 

Korea,  1907;  Work  among  Japanese — Rev.  F.  S.  Curtis  and  Mrs. 
Curtis. 

Yamada,  1893;  on  island  of  Hondo,  near  Gulf  of  Ise,  200  miles 
southwest  of  Tokyo — Rev.  W.  F.  Hereford  and  Mrs.  Hereford,  Miss 
Jessie  Riker. 

Wakayama,  1881 ; on  east  coast  of  Inland  Sea,  270  miles  south- 
west of  Tokyo — Rev.  J.  B.  Hail,  D.  D.,  and  Mrs.  Hail,  and  Miss 
Margaret  Moore. 

Tanabe  ; on  the  southern  coast  of  this  province,  70  miles  from 
Wakayama— Miss  Julia  Leavitt  and  Miss  Elva  Robertson. 

Tsu.  1890;  on  west  coast  of  Gulf  of  Ise,  about  200  miles  a little 
south  of  west  of  Tokyo — Rev.  John  E.  Hail  and  Mrs.  Hail,  Miss  M. 
B.  Sherman. 


THE  MISSIONS  IN  JAPAN. 


35 


MISSIONAHIES  m JAPAN,  1859-1910. 

* Died.  Figures,  Term  of  Ser\dce  in  Field, 
t Connected  with  the  Board  of  Missions  of  the  Cumberland  Church  until  1907. 


*Alexander,  Rev.  T.  T. ..  1877-1902 

Alexander,  Mrs 1877-IQ02 

Alexander,  Miss  C.  T. ..  1880-1892 
*Alexander,  Miss  Emma. 1002-1903 

tAlexander,  Miss  S 1894- 

Ayres,  Rev.  J.  B 18^- 

Ayres,  Mrs 1888- 

Babbitt,  Miss  E 1895-1896 

Ballagh,  Mr.  J.  C 1875- 

*Ballagh,  Mrs.  L.  E 1875-1884 

Ballagh,  Mrs 1885- 

Ballagh,  Miss  A.  P 1884-1907 

Bigelow.  Miss  G.  S 1886- 

Bigelow,  Miss  Florence.  .1007- 

Brokaw,  Rev.  H 1896- 

Brokaw,  Mrs 1896- 

Brown,  Miss  Bessie 1802-1894 

Bryan,  Rev.  A.  V 1882- 

*Bryan,  iNIrs 1882-1891 

Bryan,  Mrs 1887- 

Campbell,  ]\Tiss  E.  R 1005- 

.Carrotbers,  Rev.  C 1869-1875 

Carrotbers,  Mrs.  J.  D.. . .1869-1875 

Case,  Miss  Etta 1887-1902 

Cooper,  Miss  M.  B.  M. ..  1903-1908 
*Cornes,  Rev.  Edward.  . .1868-1S70 

*Cornes,  Mrs 1868-1870 

Curtis,  Rev.  F.  S 1887- 

Curtis,  Mrs 1887- 

Cutbbert,  ]\Iiss  M.  N. ...  1887-1892 

Davis,  Miss  A.  K 1880-1000 

Doughty,  Rev.  J.  W 1890-1903 

Douebty.  Mrs 1890-1903 

Dunlop,  Rev.  J.  G 1898- 

Dunlop,  Mrs 1898- 

Eldred,  Miss  C.  E 1877-1880 

Erdman,  Rev.  J.  P 1903- 1907 

Erdman,  klrs 1004-1007 

Fisher,  Rev.  C.  M 1883-1890 

Fisher,  Mrs 1883-1890 

Fulton,  Rev.  G.  W 1889- 

Fulton,  Mrs 1889- 

Gamble,  Miss  A.  kl 1873-1875 

Gardner,  Miss  Sarah  ....  1889-1907 

Garvin,  Miss  A.  E 1882- 

Gibbons.  Miss  K.  A T902- 

Glenn,  Miss  Grace  C 1900-1904 


Gorbold,  Rev.  J.  P 1904- 

Gorbold,  Mrs.  (Miss  M. 

M.  Palmer)  1892- 

*Green,  Rev.  O.  M 1873-1882 

Gulick,  Miss  F 1876-1879 

tHail,  Rev.  J.  B.,  D.  D...1877- 

tHail,  Mrs 1877- 

tHail,  Rev.  A.  D.,  D.  D..1878- 

tHail,  Mrs 1878- 

tHail,  Rev.  J.  E 1900- 

tHail,  Mrs 1898- 

Hail,  Miss  Anna  M 1908- 

Halsey,  Miss  L.  S 1004- 

Haworth,  Rev.  B.  C 1887-1906 

Haworth,  Mrs 1887-1906 

Haworth,  Miss  A.  R 1887-1906 

Hayes,  Rev.  M.  C 1887-1^2 

Hayes,  Mrs 1887-1892 

Hays,  Miss  Emma 1888-1891 

Hearst,  Rev.  J.  P 1884-1892 

Hearst,  Mrs 1884-1892 

Henry,  Miss  M.  E 1882-1883 

Hepburn,  J.  C.,  M.  D. ...  1859-1893 

Hepburn,  Mrs.  1859-1893 

tHereford,  Rev.  W.  F...1902- 

tHereford,  Mrs 1902- 

*Hesser,  Miss  M.  K 1882-1894 

Imbrie,  Rev.  William. . . .1875- 

Imbrie,  Afrs 1875- 

Johnson,  Rev.  W.  T 1902- 

Johnson,  Mrs 1902- 

Johnstone,  Miss  J-  M. ...1905- 

Jones,  Rev.  W.  Y 1895-1900 

Jones,  Mrs 1899-1909 

Tones,  Miss  A.  W. 1003-1905 

ivelly,  ATiss  M.  E 1893- 

Knox,  Rev.  G.  W 1877-1893 

Knox,  Mrs 1877-1802 

I.afferty,  Miss  Cora 1888-1891 

Langsdorf,  Rev.  W.  B. ..  1902-1909 

Langsdorf,  i\Irs 1002-1909 

Landis,  Rev.  H.  M 1888- 

I.andis,  Mrs 1888- 

fl^eavitt.  Miss  J 1881- 

Leete.  Miss  Isabella  A. ..  1881-1808 

Leete,  Miss  Lena 1881-1886 

Leonard,  Rev.  J.  M 1888-1894 


36 


THE  MISSIONS  IN  JAPAN. 


Leonard,  Mrs 1888-1894 

Light,  Effie_,  M.  D 1887-1888 

London,  Miss  M.  H 1907- 

Loomis,  Rev.  Henry ....  1872-1876 

Loomis,  Mrs 1872-1876 

Loveland,  Miss  H.  S 1889-1892 

Luther,  Miss  Ida  R 1898- 

MacNair,  Rev.  T.  M 1883- 

*AIacNair,  Airs 1883-1887 

AlacNair,  Mrs 1895- 

*AIcCartee,  D.  B,,  AI.  D.  .18^-1900 

McCartee,.  Airs 1888-1900 

*AIcCauIey,  Rev.  J.  AI. ..  1880-1897 

AIcCauley,  Mrs 1877- 

AIcGuire,  Aliss  M.  E 1889-1897 

AIcCartney,  Aliss  E 1884-1885 

Alaguet,  Aliss  E 1907- 

Alarsh,  Aliss  Belle 1876-1879 

Alayo,  Aliss  L.  E 1901-1907 

Aliller,  Rev.  E.  R 1872-1875 

Alilliken,  Aliss  E.  P 1884- 

Alonk,  Aliss  A.  M 1904- 

Aloore  , Aliss  Alargaret. . 1906-1910 
Alorgan,  Aliss  Agnes. ..  .1889- 

Alnrray,  Aliss  Lily 1888-1894 

Aliirray,  Rev.  D.  A 1902- 

Alnrray,  Airs.  (Aliss 

Foster)  1902- 

Naylor,  Airs.  S.  N 1886-1898 

Nivling,  Miss  Marion. ..  1899-1902 
Pierson,  Rev.  Geo.  P....1888- 

Pierson,  Mrs 1895- 

Porter,  Rev.  James  B. ...  1881-1900 


Porter,  Airs.  (Miss  Cum- 
mings, AI.  D.,  1883)  ..  .1884-1900 


Porter,  Miss  F.  E 1882-1900 

1909- 

Reede,  Miss  W.  L 1881-1888 

tRansom,  Aliss  M 1901- 

Reischauer,  Rev.  A.  K. ..1905- 

Reischauer,  Mrs 1905- 

tRiker,  Aliss  J 1904- 

IRobertson,  Miss  E 1905- 

Rose,  Aliss  C.  H 1885- 

Settlemyer,  Aliss  E.  L. ..  1893-1903 

Shaw,  Aliss  Kate 1889-1904 

Sherman,  Aliss  AI.  B 1902- 

Smith,  Aliss  S.  C 1880- 

Taylor,  Rev.  A.  G 1888-1893 

Taylor,  Airs 1888-1893 

Thompson,  Rev.  David..  1862- 
Thompson,  Airs.  (Miss 

AI.  C.  Parke) 1873- 

Thompson,  Aliss  S.  AI. ..  1895-1898 

*True,  Airs.  AI.  T 1876-1892 

tVan  Horn,  Rev.  G.  W..1888- 

tVan  Horn,  Airs 1888- 

Vaughn,  Rev.  A.  P 1904-1907 

Vaughn,  Airs 1904-1907 

Ward,  Miss  Isabella. ...  1901- 

Warner,  Miss  A 1885-1897 

Wlls,  Miss  L.  A 1000- 

)Vest,  Aliss  A.  B 1883- 

Winn,  Rev.  T.  C 1877- 

V'inn,  Airs 1877- 

*Woodhull,  Rev.  G.  E.. . 1888-1896 

Woodhull,  Mrs 1888-1896 

Worley,  Rev.  J.  C 1908- 

Worley,  Mrs 1908- 

Wyckoff,  Miss  H 1901-1907 

A^oungman,  Miss  K.  AI..1873- 


BOOKS  OF  REFERENCE. 

An  American  Missionary  in  Japan.  M.  L.  Gordon,  D.  D.  (1892.)  $1.25. 
Christianity  in  Modern  Japan.  E.  W.  Clement.  $1.50. 

Evolution  of  the  Japanese.  Sidney  L.  Gulick.  (1903.)  $2.00. 

From  Far  Formosa.  Rev.  G.  L.  MacKay,  D.  D. 

Grandmamma’s  Letters  from  Japan.  Mrs.  M.  Pruyn.  (1876.)  $1.00. 

Handbook  of  Modern  Japan.  Ernest  W.  Clement.  (1904.)  $1.50. 

Japan.  D.  Murray.  (Story  of  Nations  Series.) 

Japanese  Girls  and  Women.  A.  M.  Bacon.  (1891.) 

Japan  To-day.  J.  A.  Scherer.  (1904.) 

Japanese  Life  in  Town  and  Country.  George  W.  Knox.  (1904.) 

Kesa  and  Saijiro.  Mrs.  J.  D.  Carrothers.  (t888.)  $1.75. 

Life  and  Adventure  in  Japan.  E.  Warren  Clark. 

Life  and  Letters  of  Joseph  Hardy-Neesima.  (1893.) 

Makers  of  Japan.  J.  Morris. 

Missions  of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.  in  Japan.  6 cents. 

Religions  of  Japan.  W.  E.  Griffis. 

Reports  of  Missionary  Conventions  in  Japan,  1878-1900. 

Sunrise  in  the  Sunrise  Kingdom.  John  H.  DeForest,  D.  D.  (1904.) 
— The  Ainu  of  Japan.  J.  Batchelor.  (1892.) 

The  Christian  Movement  in  Japan.  (Year  Book.) 

The  History  of  Christianity  in  Japan.  Dr.  Otis  Cary.  (1909.)  Two 
volumes. 

The  Mikado’s  Empire.  W.  E.  Griffis.  $1.90. 

The  Real  Japan.  Henry  Norman.  (1892.) 

The  Sunrise  Kingdom.  Mrs.  J.  D.  Carrothers.  (1879.)  $2.00. 

Things  Japanese.  B.  H.  Chamberlain.  (1898.) 

Unbeaten  Tracks  in  Japan.  Isabella  L.  Bird.  (1880.)  $2.00. 

Verheck  of  Japan.  W.  E.  Griffis.  $1.10. 


